State Representative expresses concerns about new owners of Glenwood Regional Medical Center

WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE / KARD)–With the sale of Glenwood Regional Medical Center people in the area are hopeful that American Healthcare Systems will do a better job managing it.

Two community leaders are hoping that the new owners of Glenwood can turn around the story of the hospital that was plagued with mismanagement, lack of support from its leaders and even corruption.

District 14 State Representative Michael Echols has spent the last few days researching American Healthcare systems making calls and trying to get a hold of a real person to talk but with no success. The company is based out of the Los Angeles area and owns 26 healthcare facilities in North Carolina and Illinois.

It gives me pause or concern based on all the shenanigans that Steward with is a group of healthcare terrorists that have stolen treasure and lives from our areal so anything that leads to a successful selling and getting them out of the state is a win. But I want to make sure that we don’t sell it or give it to a company that has a similar nefarious plan.

Michael Echols, State Representative District 14

Echols had a conversation with Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham where the representative expressed concern that Steward will be allowed to transfer the operating license to AHS with no re-underwriting or background checks of the new leadership.

Echols said, “I think we still have a lot of due diligence to do. I want to make sure if we’re doing this that we’re not throwing it from one frying pan to the next and that we have an adequate health care delivery system to protect the employees and more importantly the lives of the people that are in this area.”

West Monroe Mayor Staci Albritton Mitchell appreciates that some dedicated health care professionals have stuck it out at the hospital during the bankruptcy and unrest.

I want the employees to feel comfortable in their jobs and they’ve given such great care for all this time in some very challenging times, so we are very appreciative of them and their dedication.

Staci Albritton Mitchell, West Monroe Mayor

Glenwood serves 26 rural hospitals that transfer patients in for treatment and Michell is hoping that the care they receive can continue and get better.

“We want those people to be back into town and getting great care. I know they would prefer to be here than having to drive somewhere further away.”

Echols and Mitchell alike are optimistic yet cautious as the new leadership takes over.

Glenwood has 278 beds, but since the bankruptcy and lack of support from Steward they are operating at one third of that capacity with reports from nurses and doctors having trouble getting enough basic supplies to do their jobs.